Developers vision of the 'roaring 20's' by 2020 for restoration of Blackstone Hotel

Greenslate and Clarity developers will present $75 million project to Omaha Planning Board.

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Updated: 10:24 PM CDT Jul 10, 2018

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WEBVTT JULIE: MICHELLE BANDUR IS LIFE. REPORTER: JULIE, ROB, THEY WANT TO RESTORE THE BUILDING TO ITS FORMER GLORY. DEVELOPERS WILL PRESENT THEIR $75 MILLION PROJECT TO THE OMAHA PLANNING BOARD TOMORROW, THE VISION OF THE ROARING 20’S, BY 2020. IT’S THE NAMESAKE OF OMAHA’S TRENDY UP-AND-COMING NEIGHBORHOOD. THE BLACKSTONE HOTEL. >> WE CAN’T REPLICATE THIS ANYWHERE IN OMAHA. REPORTER: THE DEVELOPERS WITH GREENSLATE AND CLARITY COMPANIES DON’T WANT TO BUILD ANOTHER BLACKSTONE, THEY WANT TO RESTORE THE HISTORIC HOTEL TO ITS HEYDAY. >> IT HARKENS BACK TO THE ERA OF THE 20‘S WHERE OMAHA WAS REALLY IN A GOLDEN AGE IN SO MANY WAYS. WE AS A CITY, BACK ON THE UPSWING, BRING WHOLE HOSPITALITY OF OMAHA TO ANOTHER LEVEL. REPORTER: THE PLAN CALLS FOR 204 HOTEL ROOMS ADDING 40 IN A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED WEST WING TO THE EXISTING 164. A TOP FLOOR BALLROOM, ROOF TOP COCKTAIL LOUNGE, COFFEE SHOP, TOP TIER RESTAURANT, AND CONFERENCE CENTER. THEY’LL ADD THE BLACKSTONE CLUB, A RESORT STYLE POOL AND FITNESS CLUB. THE FOCUS WILL REMAIN ON REVIVING THE HISTORIC LUXURY HOTEL. >> A RESTORATION OF A TRUE HISTORIC GEM REPORTER: MCLEAY SAYS PEOPLE ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT CELEBRATING IN THE GRAND BALLROOM. >> THIS ROOM OOZES HISTORY. REPORTER: LIKE OMAHA’S ELITE OF THE GOLD COAST ERA DID 100 YEARS AGO. >> THAT TYPE OF HISTORICAL ELEMENT, ALL OF THE FAMOUS BOB HOPE, BING CROSBY, AND ALL THE FOLKS WHO FREQUENTED THE HOTEL. REPORTER: THEY’LL PAY ATTENTION TO 1920’S DETAIL AND CRAFTSMANSHIP. >> THE CROWN MOLDING IN THIS ROOM IS JUST BEAUTIFUL CRAFTSMANSHIP. THAT TAKES TIME TO BRING BACK TO BEING PERFECT, WHICH IS WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE. REPORTER: THEY WANT THE BLACKSTONE TO BE A WORLD CLASS HOTEL LIKE IT WAS A CENTURY AGO. THE DEVELOPERS ARE APPLYING FOR TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, AS WELL AS TAX CREDITS FROM FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES. THEY ALSO SAY THE RESTORATION WILL CREATE ALMOST 150 NEW JOBS. REPORTING LIVE, MICHELLE BANDUR, KETV NEWSWAT

Developers vision of the 'roaring 20's' by 2020 for restoration of Blackstone Hotel

Greenslate and Clarity developers will present $75 million project to Omaha Planning Board.

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It calls for a $75 million restoration project of the 1916 hotel at 36th and Farnam. They want to restore the historical hotel to its heyday.

"It harkens back to the era of the 20's where Omaha was really in its golden age in so many ways," Clarity's Tom McLeay said. "We as a city are back on the upswing and it will bring as a whole hospitality to another level."

The plan calls for a total of 204 hotel rooms. They would add another 40 to a newly built west wing, on top of the existing 164 rooms. There would also be a top floor ballroom, roof top cocktail lounge, coffee shop, top tier restaurant and conference center. They'll add the Blackstone Club- a resort style pool and fitness club.

The focus will remain on reviving the historic luxury hotel.

"A restoration of a true historic gem," McLeay said.

McLeay said people are most excited about celebrating in the grand ballroom.

"We want that type of historical element, just like Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and all the folks who frequented the hotel and frequented the ballroom," McLeay said.

The developers are applying for tax increment financing and state and federal tax credits.